Tag Archives: patience

I’m lucky to be alive! Villa captain Petrov reveals he is on the road to recovery in leukaemia battle

By
Charlie Skillen

PUBLISHED:

12:47 GMT, 17 April 2013

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UPDATED:

13:09 GMT, 17 April 2013

Stiliyan Petrov has revealed he is on the road to recovery following a battle with leukaemia after being diagnosed with the disease in March last year, saying he is lucky to be alive.

The Aston Villa club captain spoke about his experience with treatment for the disease and his appreciation of the fans who supported him at matches.

Defender Petrov, who has won 106 caps for his native Bulgaria, has not retired from the professional game and said he is lucky, due to the amount of people who die from the leukaemia.

Happy Birthday: Stiliyan Petrov has revealed he is on the road to recovery following his battle with leukaemia

'When it happened I knew what kind of
disease it was but I didn’t know anything about what kind of treatment
it was,' he told AVFC.co.uk

'While the treatment was going on I
was surprised how long things were dragging on, it kept dragging and I
kept thinking “when is this going to finish” but with a lot of patience
and a lot of support from family and friends and everybody I managed to
pull through. I had my hard moments but I had good moments as well.

'I can say I’m lucky because some
people with this disease will die very quickly and I managed to keep
battling and still be here, still standing. It’s really good, that’s a
great thing.'

Salute: Petrov acknowledges the Villa Park crowd, showing their support by applauding in the 19th minute

Villa fans hold an applause in the 19th
minute of every game – marking Petrov's squad number – and the
midfielder paid tribute to the supporters who have stood by their
skipper.

'Yeah, the 19th minute has been just
incredible. It’s just showing their appreciation and their support. I
don’t know how I can thank the fans because it’s been incredible.

'Sometimes I have a joke with some
friends when they text me saying, ‘You’ve still got that applause in the
19th minute, when are they going to stop!’ But it’s been incredible.

Touching: Young Villa fans hold up a message in support of their captain

In action: Villa skipper Petrov playing last season before the diagnosis ruled him out of contention

'I’ve got a great wife, a strong,
great wife and she’s been unbelievable, incredible in this journey. The
kids as well, my mom and dad, my brother, my wife’s mum, they’ve all
been so strong and close beside me. Other friends as well, I can’t start
naming names because there are so many, they’ve been so supportive
every single day.

'To have support every single day from
people who have their own problems and their own life but they keep
finding the time to send you a message or call you, it’s just
unbelievable.'

Thoughts: Tributes to Petrov were displayed by teams around the Premier League

Petrov also spoke about the club's current form, and has backed his team-mates to stave off any relegation fears after seeing Saturday's 1-1 draw against Fulham.

'I was there at the game against Fulham and I’ve come to a lot of games this season when I’ve had the chance,' Petrov said.

Back on track: Petrov was watching Villa's 1-1 draw against Fulham, with Charles N'Zogbia's opener (above)

'I needed to have clearance from the doctors to go around crowded areas, so I constantly needed to be feeling well in order for me to be around people.

'I was really impressed by the performance against Fulham because the boys kept going right until the last minute. There are still a lot of games to come, a lot of points to be picked up, so there’s nothing to worry about.'

A day in the life of Mario… handed run-out for City's kids team, turns up laughing and joking, scores two goals, snubs hat-trick by rejecting TWO penalties and is then chauffeur-driven home!

By
Alex Horlock

PUBLISHED:

16:36 GMT, 7 January 2013

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UPDATED:

17:14 GMT, 7 January 2013

Mario Balotelli was back in the goals for Manchester City in a surprise performance for the champions' Under 21 outfit – but he turned down the chance to score a hat-trick from the spot, twice.

The controversial striker returned to action for the senior squad on Saturday, when he replaced Edin Dzeko in the 71st minute in City's 3-0 FA Cup win over Watford.

The striker has been out of favour over the past month following a lacklustre showing in City's defeat to bitter rivals in the Manchester derby on December 9.

No 9: Mario Balotelli wore the iconic striker's number instead of 45, which he wears at senior level

Anybody there Balotelli scored twice in front of a modest crowd at Platt Lane

A dismal four weeks for the Italian came
to a head when he and manager Roberto Mancini wrestled with one another
in training, and, as revealed in Sportsmail, the City boss is prepared to sell his protege after finally losing patience with him.

But Mancini may have to think twice after a dazzling performance this afternoon.

After coolly jogging on to the pitch, sharing a joke with some of the fans at Platt Lane, the 22-year-old fired City into a 1-0 lead after half-time, having pounced on a defensive error.

With Balotelli leading the line, City
cruised past their opposition, and were soon 3-0 up after a second
goal from the striker.

The Italy international was then twice
handed golden opportunities to bag a hat-trick after his coolly despatched brace.

Future stars: The Italian lined up next to Manchester City's youngsters

Face in the crowd: Marcos Lopes, who scored City's third on Saturday, watched the match

Looking on: Oldham manager Paul Dickov was at Platt Lane watching two of his former clubs in action

City were awarded two penalties at 3-0 up, and Balotelli allowed his younger team-mates to try their hand from the spot.

Despite his perfect record from 12 yards out, having never missed a competitive penalty for club or country,
Balotelli first handed the reins to a young trialist, who missed the mark.

After City were awarded a second penalty, Balotelli allowed young Denis Suarez to have a pop.

The 19-year-old Spaniard stepped up
and killed the game off at 4-0 in front of a modest crowd including the
likes of Paul Dickov, Patrick Vieira and sporting director Txiki
Begiristain.

The selfless Balotelli was then chauffeur-driven from the ground.

Mancini will take solace from the fact that the former Inter Milan attacker is back to scoring ways.

The Italian coach has watched his
compatriot endure a miserable campaign so far, with Balotelli only
managing to score once in the Premier League this season.

With Sergio Aguero injured, Balotelli will be hoping play some part in City's trip to the Emirates this weekend in their bid to topple Arsenal.

However, Mancini stated that Balotelli's career at City was 'finished' after the corresponding fixture last season. The striker picked up two yellow cards and was dismissed as the visitors were beaten 1-0 by a Mikel Arteta strike.

Impressed: City's sporting director Txiki Begiristain was also at the match

Job done: The goalscorer left City in style as he climbed into a chauffeur-driven car

Peering out: Balotelli will be hoping to be included in City's trip to Arsenal this weekend

Newcastle braced for Ba exit as Pardew lines up Remy as striker's replacement

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UPDATED:

13:14 GMT, 21 December 2012

Newcastle United are becoming increasingly resigned to losing Demba Ba.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham could all invoke the 7.5million release clause in the striker’s contract as talks over a new deal continue to stall.

Manager Alan Pardew hopes the Senegal striker, his top scorer with 11 goals this season, can still be persuaded to sign the contract which will finally get rid of the clause.

Up in the air: Demba Ba (left) could leave Newcastle next month

From January 1, any club offering that money will have the right to speak to the 27-year-old former West Ham striker who joined Newcastle on a free transfer in summer 2011 when other clubs were not prepared to take a risk on his dodgy knee.

Pardew was, and at that time any release clause probably made sense. But this is now the third transfer window Newcastle have had to contend with the speculation, and threat of a club coming in with an offer they simply can’t refuse.

Talks have been ongoing with Ba and the Newcastle board, and although he has shown no desire to move away and has kept scoring goals despite a strange and strained relationship with fellow striker Papiss Cisse, he has not signed a new deal.

Goal machine: Ba is Newcastle's top scorer despite the uncertainty

And Newcastle chairman Mike Ashley, who has his limits in such negotiations, must surely be running out of patience.

If there is one thing Newcastle fans will agree with their controversial owner, it will be that if Ba doesn’t want to stay, he should be sold.

The on-going speculation is not helpful for Pardew or his players. Yesterday he was asked if it was a distraction and said: 'Yeah. I think if I was a player here it would annoy me, because it’s constantly about Demba. If they pick up a paper it’s all about Demba and obviously we know it isn’t, but you know, it takes away some of the important issues we’ve got.

Target: Loic Remy looks set to join Newcastle in the January window

'The important issues are making sure that when our players play well that they get the reward for that. So coming into this week, Demba scored last week again and I hope he scores two and I hope he gets the headlines, but certainly I want a few others to get the headlines for the right reasons.

'The decision will be Demba’s ultimately because the clause is there.’

Meanwhile, Newcastle are close to securing a deal for Marseille striker Loic Remy. The France international would be a welcome addition and bring much-needed competition to the squad.

Pardew still hopes Remy will be competing for a place alongside Ba, not replacing him.

Managing in the Premier League is nothing like the good old days says Dalglish

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UPDATED:

17:41 GMT, 19 December 2012

Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish believes the definition of success has changed in the Premier League era.

The Scot, who remains the last Liverpool boss to have won a league title, in 1990, was sacked despite delivering the club’s first trophy in six years with victory in the League Cup and also reaching the FA Cup final.

Lose to Reading and it could be the end for Sunderland boss O'Neill, says Toon hero Shearer

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UPDATED:

12:11 GMT, 10 December 2012

Alan Shearer believes Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill has one last game to save his job.

The former Newcastle legend turned BBC pundit says the visit of Reading on Tuesday night in the Barclays Premier League will be crucial to O’Neill’s survival.

Sunderland have lost five of their last seven Premier League matches while O’Neill’s side have won only one of their last 11 league fixtures at the Stadium of Light.

Under pressure: Martin O'Neill watched his Sunderland side slump to defeat at home to Chelsea at the weekend (below)

Writing in his column in The Sun, Shearer said: ‘Martin O’Neill has faced some mighty games as a player and manager in his career. None, however, in his 12 months in charge at the Stadium of Light will be bigger than tomorrow night’s visit of Reading.

‘The fans have not turned but they are on the brink. If they don’t beat Reading at home tomorrow their patience will snap.

‘I hate to suggest people are facing the sack. But his next two games after tomorrow are Manchester United away then Southampton away.’

Making his point: Newcastle legend Alan Shearer believes O'Neill has one game to save his job at Sunderland

Sunderland have attempted only 46 shots on target in the Premier League this season; the fewest of all sides.

But there is hope — No side have kept fewer clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Reading.

Blackburn bid to calm fans over boss fears after failing to land Sherwood and McKinlay

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UPDATED:

14:42 GMT, 24 October 2012

Blackburn global advisor Shebby Singh has pleaded for patience from fans over the club's protracted search for a new manager.

Steve Kean resigned to end his
troubled reign at Ewood Park on the eve of last month's 1-1 draw at
Charlton and a host of high-profile names were immediately linked with
the job.

No rush: Blackburn Global advisor Shebby Singh

Caretaker boss Eric Black will search for his first win in charge at the fifth time of asking against Sheffield Wednesday in the npower Championship tonight and Singh, overseeing the recruitment process on behalf of owners Venky's, insists he will not be rushed into an appointment as Rovers look for an instant return to the top flight.

'It has been a very, very difficult three weeks – difficult in that we have to make a quick decision but, at the same time, we cannot rush into making such a decision because of recent history,' he told Blackburn Rovers TV on the club's official website, www.rovers.co.uk.

'That means taking time and, yes, I do understand that we need to make an appointment but it cannot just be any appointment because obviously after what happened we've got to tread very, very carefully.

'I would like to appeal to the fans; do not react to what you read in the papers or what is rumours – do not react to that.

Aiming for the top: Jordan Rhodes is spearheading Blackburn's drive

'I am taking everybody's emotions into consideration. The fans have been through difficult times and the last thing I want is to put fans through more anguish.

'So give me more time now, rather than all of us rush into a decision and we all suffer together.'

Reaction to reported rejected approaches for Tim Sherwood and Billy McKinlay have not been overly positive among Blackburn's fanbase.

The former Rovers midfielders are coaches with Tottenham and Fulham respectively but are managerial novices, prompting parallels to be drawn with Kean's credentials upon his full-time appointment in January 2011.

Singh is committed to examining a wide range of options and retains a keen internest in 'next big thing' candidates of Sherwood and McKinlay's ilk.

'It has been (more difficult that expected) simply because we try to look at football from different angles,” he explained.

'You've got three different types of potential candidates. One is the young, untried, next big thing – dynamic, forward-thinking candidate.

'Then you have the bitter-sweet group – they have had a little bit of success here, a little bit of success there and they have tasted both sides of football.

'In the third category you get the wise old head. So while we know what a wise old head can bring, while we know what the bitter-sweet group can give you, we cannot just brush aside the potential, the possibility of something that can happen.'

Players must take the blame, says Keane as Ireland skipper defends Trapattoni

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UPDATED:

22:33 GMT, 15 October 2012

He was sat next to the manager, so he didn’t really have any choice but to stand by him.

But while the defiant message from Giovanni Trapattoni was all about him, for captain Robbie Keane there is clearly a wider issue to address. Players’ Pride.

Keane was forced to sit in the stands in the Aviva Stadium on Friday night as his younger and more inexperienced team-mates were cruelly exposed to the lethal German machine and surrendered to record the worst result in Irish history.

Defiant: Keane addresses the media in Torshavn

On Monday, as part of his duties as captain, now he is fit again to reclaim the armband from John O’Shea, he was forced to sit on the top table in the Torsvollur Stadium and field repeated questions about his manager’s future.

For a man who is not renowned for his patience in the midst of such an intrusive media inquisition, Keane kept his cool and offered his support for the beleaguered man to his right, who somehow managed to smile throughout.

Asked if the players owed their manager a performance, and result, after Friday's debacle, the skipper said: 'Listen, everybody is in this together, of course we owe him. It’s clear to see and I don’t need to tell you the job he has done for the country.

'I think as players, we let ourselves down, we let our country down. And whether you are playing or not playing, we are all in this together.

'We are all going to be criticised together and it’s important that we all pay back together. Tomorrow, it will be interesting to see the separation of the men from the boys.

'It was not good enough on Friday and it’s important now that we stand up and be counted.

Mauling: Ireland were hit for six by Germany on Friday night

'As players you try to go out and do your best. The lads tried their best and it was not good enough. They know they let themselves down.

'Our main priority is Sweden and Austria. If we finish second, like we always try to do as we come up against teams who are superior to us – as happened last Friday.'

Ireland have returned to Torshavn, where the chill in the air is not just the maelstrom surrounding the Italian manager and his coaching staff.

There were torrential showers, bright sunshine and even a very little snow flurry during the day on Monday and when Ireland’s players finally took to the artificial pitch at six, the heavens really opened.

Of course little is known of the Faroes who suffered a late, and harsh defeat at the hands of Sweden here on Friday night.

Former Ireland boss Brian Kerr offered the Irish set-up his dossier on the Faroe players he managed in their last campaign and has warned anyone that will listen that this will not be a walkover.

Under pressure: Trapattoni (left) has had lots of questions to answer

But Keane, who of course played under Kerr many times, does not seem unduly concerned about the opposition, although he accepts Ireland should win and are expected to do so.

His interest, and that of the squad, is to make progress with a victory and put their World Cup campaign back on track. And to do it for themselves, the country, and the manager.

He added: 'We need a massive reaction. We have to have a massive reaction. When you lose in the manner that we did on Friday night, we have to.

'We are playing against a team where we are the favourites and we should win but it’s easier said than done.

'The players who are playing, the players on the bench and everybody involved has to stick together and try to rectify Friday night by getting a decent result.

'People probably expected us to be beaten by Germany but over the years the way we played against these big teams, it’s always been by one or two goals.

Pitch imperfect: Keane is not happy with the surface in Torshavn

'But it was the manner in which we lost is why this game is even bigger. I think it’s a big test for everybody.

'Senior players like myself, John O'Shea and Keith Andrews, have been trying to rally the troops and trying the best we can to keep the spirit high because it's always tough when you lose a game in that manner.

'With the amount of young players we have, it's important that we get around them. We will see the reaction of the players tomorrow.'

Before going out to test his Achilles on the very spongy artificial surface, on which the collective Irish media had earlier had a laughable kickabout, Keane finished with another moan about the pitch, much to the consternation of the hosts, who have made significant investment, and improvements.

Keane said: 'I got an injection and at the moment it feels good but when you are playing on plastic pitches I'll be honest with you, you've probably heard me talking about it in America, they shouldn't be allowed in this day and age. I don’t think it's good for players but hopefully it holds up and I'm confident it will.'